The Approaching Night
by WinterErica
Summary: SUMMARY: When Armin first laid eyes on the ebony of the grand piano, he could see colors splash before his eyes, enticing and vivid paintings of large beings devouring humans, people he couldn't see the faces of, and glistening oceans.


Keys of Comfort

**Hi everyone! This is my first fanfic so, there might be many errors. Please feel free to review and please tell me what can be fixed! Thank You.**

**X**

SUMMARY: When Armin first laid eyes on the ebony of the grand piano, he could see colors splash before his eyes, enticing and vivid paintings of large beings devouring humans, people he couldn't see the faces of, and glistening oceans.

When Armin first laid eyes on the ebony of the grand piano, he could see colors splash before his eyes, enticing and vivid paintings of large beings devouring humans, people he couldn't see the faces of, and glistening oceans.

He knew the piano, somehow he did, and the salesman had told him that the piano was old, probably older than Armin's great, great, great, great, whatever grandparents. Armin wanted the piano; he wanted to run his slender fingers across it, feel the milky white keys.

Armin was already very familiar with the instrument. His grandfather had taught him to play before passing away, and Armin had bought a small shop room to teach children to play instruments.

Because of the shortage of money, he had to drop high school, and therefore, college. He constantly searched for other jobs to keep himself busy, though he already worked as a musician, waiter at the local café, and a flower salesman. His schedule was always very tight because of these jobs and free time was very limited.

He'd always wake before the sun was up and hustle through the chilly streets of Dordogne, Aquitaine in sort of a dazed trance, and somehow end up at Café Shina. There, he'd spend six hours running orders, and making creamy tiramisu or tangy mango cakes. (7 A.M. to 1 P.M.)

After that, he would, once again, slip back onto the streets and be greeted by familiar neighbors and friends. He would open up the flower shop and stand in the warm sun waiting for anyone to buy a bouquet of daisies or- a French special- a batch of sweet smelling roses.( 1:30 P.M. to 4 P.M.)

Once that was through, he could eat his lunch at a nice sandwich shop across the street from his music shop. (4:30 P.M. to 5 P.M.) Of course, he's been going there for so long that he's tried everything on the menu, but it was still his favorite place for a classic club sandwich.

Then, he headed to his final destination, the music shop. Children would begin coming into the shop at around 5 or 6 and Armin would be waiting with a new piece of original composition in his hands. For another two hours, he would run music and fix the parts that need to be fixed.

That night, Armin settled down on the German piano in his house and lifted the wooden piece that covered the keys. Exhaling, he gently stroked them, finger nails nipping at the edges.

He remembered one of the first songs he learned from his grandfather, a long, but emotional tune. Gracefully, his hands and fingers slid across the keys, waltzing a beautiful melody out of the piano. Images flashed before his eyes.

_"I didn't know you could play!" Eren was dragging him towards the old, abandoned piano._

"_Yeah! Play something for us, Armin!" Connie cheered. Jean even encouraged him on. _

_ He reluctantly sat down on the worn leather stool- partially because Reiner sat him down- and all the cadets watched in awe as he raised his hands and began to guide them across the white keys. _

_A familiar melody filled the room, the entire castle, until everyone in the village melted into the sounds. Hanji came in first since she had been testing titan samples in the other room. She was beaming, but it seemed that she had no intention of saying anything at all. _

_Then, Erwin entered the room and stood next the cadets, smiling just as bright as Hanji. Levi came last, standing close to the door. _

_ Armin played on, emotions welling out of him. Years of sorrow and now, he released them all. The melody crescendos and rises until it once again subside to a soft murmur. Low notes played alongside sweet high ones, making the contrast clear. Hanji's no longer smiling, replaced by a wistful look. _

_Bertrolt is the one to break down first. _

_He crumbles and clutches his face, shaking with silent sobs, until Reiner wraps an arm around him. _

_Then, one by one, they all cry silent tears as Armin continues to play, tears staining his own cheeks. Levi looks at them, he takes in their feelings, their grieving and he feels an unfamiliar sensation crawl into his heart. _

_As Armin played the last few notes, he began to accept, he began to grow stronger, just as Eren had when he and Levi's squad had died. He began to move on, as he had when Annie transformed to crystal. _

_As Levi stood there, he tasted salt, odd because there wasn't any before._


End file.
